Housing for older Californians improves, but there’s more to do

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OPINION – Over five years ago, California made a historic commitment to prepare for the demographic shift underway as millions of Californians live longer, healthier lives. With the Master Plan for Aging (MPA), Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature committed to coordinated efforts to ensure older adults can age with dignity and opportunity.

The plan is working, driving measurable progress on one of the most urgent challenges facing older Californians: housing instability and homelessness.

The state’s decades-long housing crisis is deepening, and older Californians are among those who can benefit most from intervention. Fixed incomes, rising rents, and a shortage of affordable housing options have put too many at risk. Affordability is only part of the challenge; the shortage of accessible housing and other services and supports to meet changing health needs leaves many older Californians without options.

Homelessness among adults 50+ is growing faster than any other age group, with nearly half of Californians experiencing homelessness over age 50. Disparities persist, with Black, Native American, Indigenous, multiracial individuals, and people with disabilities disproportionately affected.

But there has been meaningful progress.

In 2024, homelessness increased nationally by over 18%, while California’s rise was just 3% – lower than in 40 other states. The state also saw a 9% reduction in unsheltered homelessness between 2024 and 2025, according to point-in-time data. These gains reflect sustained investments, even amid federal cuts and shrinking safety nets.

This progress is intentional. It stems from alignment across housing, health, social services and homelessness policies – the approach envisioned by the MPA to prevent and end older adult homelessness.

Over the past five years, the state has built on pilot programs to better support older adults experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

These efforts include:

• Designing communities for aging. California is embedding the needs of older adults into housing planning and building standards – promoting accessibility, fall prevention, and universal and inclusive design principles – while expanding options such as Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), affordable rentals, home sharing, and homeownership opportunities.
• Expanding housing with services through proven models. California’s first-in-the-nation Homekey program has created nearly 16,000 homes across 250+ projects, projected to serve more than 172,000 Californians over time. The Community Care Expansion Program has awarded $570 million to 61 projects, creating 3,000+ units of adult and senior residential care and permanent supportive housing, plus an additional $249 million to preserve existing residential care for older adults.
• Addressing the housing needs of individuals with behavioral health conditions. Proposition 1 includes up to $6.4 billion in bonds to build new supportive housing and community-based treatment settings and expands housing interventions at the local level to meet the needs of Californians with mental health and substance use disorders, including older adults.
• Strengthening local accountability and coordination. Through the appropriation of more than $5 billion in Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention funding, the state holds local governments accountable for building housing, expanding shelter, and delivering results – and aligns those efforts with the needs of older adults and people with disabilities.
• Building local leadership. California is developing tools and training to support organizations coordinating benefits and services for older adults and people with disabilities at risk of or experiencing homelessness. The Local Aging & Disability Action Planning grant program has also supported 30 communities in creating equitable, actionable plans tailored to local needs, including housing and homelessness prevention.
• Integrating health care and housing. California has leveraged Medi-Cal reforms to cover transitional rent and expand long-term services and supports.
• Preventing homelessness before it starts. Programs like Home Safe and the Housing and Disability Advocacy Program pair housing navigation, legal assistance, and rental subsidies to help older adults and people with disabilities remain housed, often at a fraction of the cost of crisis response.

These efforts are reinforced by broader state actions to transform the behavioral health system, streamline housing production, and responsibly address encampments – recognizing that safe, stable housing must be paired with services, dignity, and accountability.

We’re not at the finish line. We’re at a checkpoint.

Our progress shows what’s possible when decision-makers align around data, outcomes, and equity. And, as the state’s demographic pressures intensify, the housing needs of older adults will grow, demanding continued focus.

The MPA, alongside California’s Three-Year Action Plan for Preventing and Ending Homelessness, provides the roadmap. With wise investments and continued urgency, we can ensure that aging does not mean housing insecurity – and that every Californian has a place to call home at every stage of life.

Kim Johnson is the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency; Tomiquia Moss, the Secretary of the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency.